1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to hiking equipment and, more particularly, is concerned with a reversible heel-and-toe lift attachment for deployment on a hiking shoe for assisting a hiker in ascending and descending steep grades with reduced risk of injury.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hiking up and down steep terrain is an activity engaged in by an ever-increasing number of people. It permits participants to improve their physical fitness while, at the same time, enjoying the scenic beauty of hilly and mountainous terrain.
As in the case of any strenuous activity, proper physical conditioning and equipment should be employed in order to minimize the risk of injury during the activity. Ascending and descending steep grades produces substantial strain in the regions of a person's calf muscles, ankle tendons and muscles, and the Achilles tendon. During such activities, it is relatively easy for a hiker to exceed the limits imposed by age or state of physical condition, and produce injury to the muscles and tendons of the lower leg and ankle regions.
Shoe attachments for enabling workmen to walk and stand on a steeply pitched roof with their feet in substantially level planes are known in the prior patent art. Examples of such attachments are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 380,395 to Kramer, U.S. Pat. No. 958,277 Phinny, U.S. Pat. No. 974,941 Wilkerson, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,232,114 Sorley. However, none of these attachments is believed to be suitable for use on hiking shoes to assist in climbing steep grades. Other than by careful selection of properly constructed hiking shoes, up to the present time no equipment has been designed for use on hiking shoes to assist in climbing steep terrain and thus reduce strains and minimize risks of injuries to hikers' legs and feet.
Consequently, a pressing need still exists for the design of equipment to assist hikers in safely traversing up and down steep grades without subjecting themselves to calf and ankle strains which have a high probability of producing injury.